Nevada County picayune., 1887-02-09
MAN OR PHANTOM?
A WAR CORRESPONDENTS STORY


 During the Franco erman war l represented a leading English journal, which, by the way, ex- changed it's reports with an Amer ican paper of National prominence, as war correspondent. Upon my arrival ill Germany, soon after the declaration of war, 1 presented my credentials to the proper authori. ties, and after much delay was at- tached to the Royal Saxon Army Corps, as brave a body of warriors as was ever gathered together for purposes of destruction and car mage. l followed the fortunes of the gallant corps through the fall campaign, and was with them at the siege of Paris. It is unneces. sary to pay a tribute to the bravery of the noble saxon lads, who, af- ter repelling the savage attacks of the courageous enemy, shared their scanty allowance of pea. , sausage and rye bread with the half starved French guards who , had been fortunate enough 10 be captured.
 As might be expected my con stant presence at headquarters and my unvarnished reports of the doings of the corps secured me the friendship of some of the officers, while others found it hard work to conceal the pique excited by my let ters. Among my dearest friends and defenders was Lieut.. Baron Ludwig von L.. an adjutant to one of the regiments attached to the corps. It had been my good fortune to render slight service to the lieutenant during the open ing days of the war, and with an enthusiasm that was inexplicable to me, he defended my every ac. ton and let no opportunity pass by to sound my praises. It was but natural that such disinterested- ness challenged my admiration, and soon our friendship had ripen- ed into an intimacy such as can only be established amid the sur rouudings in which we were placed. Nothing marred these pleasant re- lations until Christmas Eve, when a stray shell from one of the forts struck the tent in which the lieu tenant and I were celebrating the great German holiday. In mo ment I realized that he had been severely wounded, while I had es- capped unharmed. An examina- ton of the wound proved that his life was in imminent peril, and the staff surgeon concluded to send von L- to his home in Saxony. Tn pursuance of the doctors d. rections we parted then and there, and the early morning tram bore my friend to the arms of his anxious family, while I continued my exciting life among the san guine soldiery
 The week following this incl dent was devoid of interest. owing to the inactivity of the French, but on the ninth day the forts opened , fire, and from whispered conversa- tions at headquarters I gleaned that the morrow would see a san gninary conflict. In order to be , prepared left the tent of the most advanced Saxon outpost at 4 o'clock in the afternoon for the purpose of preparing tOpOgraphi- cal notes concerning the probable field of carnage. My work was soon completed. Silence and sol itudc, interrupted at rare inter- vals by the cherry "Quivive" of the French outposts or the gruff "Wer da?" of the German senti- nels, tempted me to rest under a protecting shed, and before l real ized it l had settled down for a little nap. When l awoke the darkness told me that the evening had far advanced, and looking around l saw that a terrible snow storm had covered my tracks. Els cape was impossible. l knew not how to reach my friends, and to fall in the hands of the French meant disgrace and perhaps dis honor.
 Making the best of an ugly situ- atiOn. l drew my heavy fur over coat closer around me, pulled my cap over my ears, and retreated once more within the shed. Scarce